Washington, D.C. — September 18, 2018 — In response to Reps. Adam Smith (D-WA) and Ted Lieu (D-CA) John Garamendi (D-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introducing bicameral legislation to prohibit research, development, production and deployment of a “low-yield” nuclear warhead for the Trident D-5 missile, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement:
“I don’t understand how anyone thinks building new ‘more-usable’ nuclear weapons will make us safer, when by definition, their creation increases the likelihood that nuclear weapons will be used. Building new weapons like the ‘low-yield’ warhead for the D-5 Trident missile also adds fuel to the new nuclear arms race currently underway at tremendous costs to taxpayers. Thankfully, Reps. Adam Smith (D-WA), Ted Lieu (D-CA) and others introduced the ‘Hold the LYNE Act’ to stop these dangerous, wasteful weapons. With the power to level cities, describing these weapons as ‘low-yield’ is the biggest misnomer since the creation of the demilitarized zone in Korea, which remains one of the most heavily armed regions on the planet. Instead of jump-starting a new arms race, we need to return to steadfast diplomacy to reduce and eliminate the world’s nuclear arsenals.”
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Founded in 1957, Peace Action (formerly SANE/Freeze), the United States’ largest peace and disarmament organization, with over 100,000 paid members and nearly 100 chapters in 36 states, works to abolish nuclear weapons, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights and support nonmilitary solutions to international conflicts. The public may learn more and take action at www.PeaceAction.org.
